Job Search Strategy: Grading your employment search

How is your job search going? One way to measure how you're doing is by how many job opportunities you have in your "pipeline."

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By David Dirks

recordonline.com

By David Dirks

Posted Apr. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By David Dirks
Posted Apr. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

How is your job search going? One way to measure how you're doing is by how many job opportunities you have in your "pipeline."

If you have zero to two job opportunities (defined as at least an interview and not yet declined), then you are not doing well. If you have three to five opportunities, you are doing well. If you have five or more opportunities in your job search pipeline, you are on your way to a new career opportunity.

A job search campaign is much like a sales campaign. Like sales, success depends on having a wide pool of bona fide job opportunities and, more importantly, the ability to convert them into job offers. If you can't convert job opportunities into job offers, that's a real problem.

So, if you're stuck in first gear and can't seem to either expand your job opportunities pipeline or convert job opportunities into job offers, ask yourself these questions:

In my job search, what is working and what is not working? This is the starting point for getting a handle on which people and approaches have been productive in leading you to opportunities and where to look for new opportunities. Keep what is working, throw out what isn't, and revise your approach.

If I am finding limited opportunities in my career field, is it because there aren't enough jobs in this region, or am I not doing enough research and networking? You may be living in an area where jobs in your career are not as plentiful. This is a tough one, because no one wants to consider moving to where the jobs are — but that's what it might take to turn your situation around. If you're looking for water in a desert, you may not find it.

Am I utilizing my personal and professional network? I often find job search candidates are shy about asking for help. This isn't the time to play shy. This is the time to ask for help and to not feel bad or embarrassed about it.

How much time am I spending on preparing for a job interview? Do you know what luck is? Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. I never go to an interview (on the phone or in person) without researching the company and being prepared.

Just how desperate for a job am I? The reality is that the longer the job search and economic scarcity, the more likely you'll take a job that won't pay you what you need to thrive and that you'll end up leaving.

Conducting a job search is probably one of the toughest challenges in any economy. Being able to look at yourself in the mirror and get to an understanding of what is working and what's not working in your search is key. Re-calibrate your job search where you need to, not whether you want to.

David Dirks is the author of "Job Search Marketing: Finding Job Opportunities in Any Economy." You can find more information on his job search strategies at jobsearchmarketing.net and by listening to his podcasts at blogtalkradio.com/jobsearchmarketing.